Sliding boat-seat.



A. GERARDIN L o. SAUVE?.

SLIDING BOAT SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1912.v

@bi/tucasa@ COLUMBIA PLANoaRAPH C0.. WASHINGTON, D. C,

A. GBRARDIN I c. SAUVE.

SLIDING BOAT SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1912.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

MERITS-SHEET z.

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. coLUMBlA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINGNN. D. C.

yUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADRIAN GERARDIN AND CHARLES SAUV, 0F PEMBINA, NORTH DAKOTA.

SLIDING BOAT-SEAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

Application led June 24, 1912. Serial No. 705,574.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, ADRIAN GERARDIN and CHARLES SAUVE', citizens of theUnited States,V residing at Pembina, in the county of Pembina and Stateof North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSlidingy Boat-Seats; and we do declare the following to be a full,clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to boats, and more especially to the seats andfoot supports thereof; and the object of the same is to improve theconstruction of a racing shell by making its seat and foot restsmovable, drawing each forward within the hull by a spring, and mountingthe seat on a carriage which makes pounding contact at each stroke withan anvil xed within the hull of the shell. These objects are carried outby constructing the mechanism in the manner hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed, and as shown in the drawings, wherein- Figure 1is a plan view, and Fig. 2 a side elevation of this device, mountedwithin the hull of a racing shell. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinalsectional View through the entire device and the hull, showing the seatin a slightly different position from that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are cross sections on the lines 4 4, 5 5 and 6 6 ofFig. 2 respectively.

In the drawings we have used the letter H to designate the hull of theboat, S the seat, and F the foot rest. In racing shells the hullconstruction is extremely light, as also are all parts thereof includingthe seat and foot rest, said seat is usually of the bucket type with orwithout means for holding the oarsman in place, and the foot rest mayhave straps or other attaching means A for holding the feet thereon. Allthese details are well known, and no novelty is claimed therefor; norfor the fact broadly speaking that the seat reciprocates on a track T,being shown in the drawings as guided thereon by rollers R.

Coming now more particularly to the gist of the present invention, theseat Sis by movable on the-track as shown. Within the hull forward ofthe track is securely 'fixed a bulkhead or other stout struct-ureconstituting an anvil 3 which is of some considerable size as shown andpreferably rises above the top of the carriage 2, its body being coredout so as to'produce a chamber 4 in which is mounted a contractilespring 5 connected at one end to the anvil as by having its extremity 6projected through the front end thereof and carrying a nut 7, andconnected at its other end as at 8 to the front end of the carriage 2.The latter is thereby normally drawn into contact with the rear end ofthe anvil with a force dependent on the strength of the spring and theextent to which it is adjusted at the point 7.

Along the top of the track is marked a scale 10, and 11 is a stopadjustable over said scale and capable of being set at different pointsby means of any suitable device such as set screws 12; and the functionof this stop is to limit the rearward movement of the carriage and seat.To the rear of the track T are parallel guides 13 havin undercutadjacent edges between whic moves a slide 14 whose projecting portioncarries a foot piece F, and the latter may be adjustable thereon by anysuitable means such as set screws 15. The lower end of this slide isdrawn normally forward toward the seat by means of a contractile spring16 attached at its front extremity at 17 to the rear end of the track;and, as in the case with the other spring, the rear eX- tremity 18 ofthis spring may pass through the lower end of the slide 14 and receive anut 19 so that the tension of this spring may be adjusted.

This attachment applied to a racing shell, a practice boat, or to arowing machine, is used as follows: When the oarsman takes his seat andplaces his toes under the straps A, the parts stand at rest and he issupposed to be sitting upright with the blades of the oars resting onthe surface of the water and his arms and hands in natural position, and

if such is not the case, the seat and the foot rest should be properlyadjusted, one on the carriage 2 and the other on the slide 14, so thatthe device will fit the oarsman. Straightening out his arms andknuckling up his knees, the oarsman now throws the blades of the oarsforward by pushing their handles to the rear; and at this time, while heis really doing no work toward propelling the boat, this device compelshim to do the work of expanding the main spring as he slides the seatand carriage to the rear.

yWhen it strikes the stop 11, he raises his hands and depresses theblades in the water, and the next movement is to straighten his legs anddraw in his arms in the act of making a stroke. This movement, when itoccursv while racing, is performed very quickly and of course requiresgreat strength and skill, because it is due to its successfulperformance that the shell shall be projected through the water with thegreatest speed. By the use of my improvement this action is assisted bythe contraction of the main spring, and at the close of this stroke they rather heavy carriage 2 strikes the anvil 3 with an impact dependentupon the force expended by the oarsman, his weight, and the strength ofthe spring. This impact shoots the boat forward while the oarsman isyrecovering, or preparing for the next stroke.

' The purpose of the spring applied to the foot rest is to keep aconstant tension on the main spring as the oarsman is straighten ing hislegs, while yielding at the last moment so as to facilitate thecompletion of his stroke. It will be obvious that the contraction of themain spring assists in the forward movement of the seat and thereforequickens Athe stroke, in addition to the forward impulse given to theboat by the impactabove described.

A further feature of this invention when applied to rowing machines forthe instruction of beginners, lies in the fact that the main springprevents the young oarsman from recovering too quickly, because as soonas he begins the recovery movement of his stroke he feels the retardingact-ion of this spring and is reminded that he has been told ,not torecover so speedily.

y It will be unnecessary for the purposes of this specification toamplify details further than as above, or to give the sizes, shapes,

I. 'proportions and materials of parts.

We have found by experiments that, although the disposition of the mainspring as labove described would seem to throw additional labor on theoarsmen in the act of recovering, this is offset by the fact that itrenders him assistance in the act of makhis forward stroke, permits himto complete it more rapidly, and adds his momentum to the forwardprogress of the boat by the impact of the carriage wit-h the anvil.

That is claimed as new is l. A sliding seat for racing shells, and aspring drawing it normally toward the bow of the boat.

2. A sliding seat for racing shells, yielding means drawing it normallyforward, and an anvil with which it contacts at the completion of itsforward movement.

3. In a racing shell, a seat mounted on a carriage which is ofconsiderable size, means for supporting the carriage slidably on thehull, an anvil fixed within the hull forward of said carriage and seat,and a spring bearing the carriage normally forwar and adapted to throwit into contact with the anvil at the completion of the power stroke.

4. In a racing shell, the combination with a. tubular anvil iixcd withinthe hull, a contractile spring disposed within the bore of the anvil,and adjustable connections between its forward end and the front end ofsaid anvil; of the seat mounted on a sliding carriage of considerableweight, and connections between said carriage and the rear end of thespring, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a racing shell, a seat, a foot rest, and a spring connecting thelatter with a iiXed part of the shell structure and drawing the footrest normally toward the seat.

6. In a racing shell, the combination of the seat, a spring moving itnormally forward, the foot rest, and a spring moving it normallyforward.

7 In a racing shell, the combination with the seat, a carriage 011 whichit is mounted, an anvil fast within the hull forward of the carriage,and a spring moving the carriage normally forward and into contact withthe anvil; of the foot rest, and spring pressing it normally toward saidseat.

8. In a racing shell, the combination with the seat, a carriage on whichit is mounted, an anvil fast within the hull forward of the carriage,and a spring moving the carriage normally forward and into contact withthe anvil; of the foot rest, a slide to which it is adjustably secured,guides within which the slide moves, and a spring bearing the slidenormally forward within said guides.

9. In a racing shell, the combination with the seat, a carriage on whichit is adjustably mounted, an anvil fast within the hull forward of thecarriage, and means moving the latter normally forward and into contactwith the anvil; of a foot rest, a slide on which it is adjustablymounted, and means for moving the slide normally forward with yieldingforce.

10. In a racing shell, the combination with a track having a scale, astop adjustable on the track over the scale, a carriage movable on thetrack, and a seat on the carits rear end to the carriage and at itsfront end to the anvil.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto `set our hands 1n presence of twosubscribing riage; of an anvil fast within the hull at the front end ofthe track, and a foot rest.

1l. In a racing shell, the combination with a track having a scale, astop adjustable on the track over the scale, a carriage WltneSSeS-movable on the track, and a seat on the car- ADRIAN GERARDIN- riage; ofan anvil fast within the hull at the CHARLES SAUV. front end of thetrack and having a tubular Witnesses:

body, and a contractile spring disposedy ARCHIE LIPiNE, within saidtubular body and attached at J. BART CONMY.

Copies o! this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addi-elsingthe Commissioner of intenti,

Washington, D. G.

